A review has been launched to look at speed limits and road safety outside of schools in Surrey.

From 2005 to 2011, there were 42,596 injuries recorded by police on the roads. More than 6% of these injuries, a total of 2,747, were children.

Figures show that 351 of these took place within 250 metres of Surrey County Council’s 507 schools during school journey times.

There have been six child fatalities in this time, and one of these in 2006 took place within 250 metres of a school.

The review comes as Surrey County Council’s local committees have been discussing petitions to reduce speeds on particular roads to 20mph.

The council’s speed limit policy is currently under review, and proposals are expected to be adopted by the cabinet in April or May.

The chairman of the Guildford local committee, which met on Wednesday night, Mark Brett-Warburton, has asked for the new speed limit policy to be brought to the next committee meeting in June, together with a proposed framework for considering 20mph speed limit requests in Guildford.

Lower speeds

Included in the policy is a change in the way requests for 20mph speed zones are considered.

Using the new policy, 20mph speed limits using signs will be allowed where the existing speeds are 24mph or less. Before the change, a new limit would be allowed if the average was 20mph or less.

The council has said that simply changing limits with signs alone will not necessarily be successful in reducing the speed of traffic if the average speed recorded is much higher than the proposed new limit.

Stephen Cooksey, the Liberal Democrat environment and transportation spokesman said this week: “In May 2006 and again in 2012, Liberal Democrats called for Surrey County Council to reduce speeds where necessary on the county’s roads.

“This is including for 20mph speed limits to be introduced where evidence says they are required and they are supported by local residents.

“The Conservative administration at County Hall has dragged its feet, with only a handful of sites being established. Hopefully the review, together with new govern-ment guidance, will see the implementation of 20mph speed limits, especially outside of schools.

“Liberal Democrats want this review to result in positive action by the Conservative administration to ensure the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders on Surrey’s highways.”

While the overall aim is to reduce the risk of collisions, the council has said it also wants roads to feel safer to improve the attractiveness of walking and cycling to and from schools.

The new policy in looking at speed limits outside of school advises that there should always be an overall assessment of all the safety issues, rather than considering the speed limit in isolation.

This could include inconsiderate parking or difficulties in crossing a road that the council says may not be solved through a change in speed limit on its own.

Surrey Police Road Safety and the Traffic Management Team will be consulted on all proposed speed limit changes, and their views will be given to the relevant local committees.

Philip Goose, senior community engagement officer at charity Brake, said: “We welcome this review. As part of our GO 20 campaign, we’re calling on local authorities to implement widespread 20mph limits in towns, cities and villages and for central government to work towards this being the norm in all communities nationwide.

“Lower speeds help protect people on foot and bike – especially the most vulnerable, like children – because they give drivers a better chance of stopping in time, in an emergency.”